Shoestring-fastener.



H. B. & A. J. MGGOWAN.

SHOESTRING PASTENER. APPLICATION FILED APR.6, 1910.

1,007,369, Patented Oct. 31, 1911 mwa CDLUMBIA PLANOQRAPHcO.,wAsHlNaT6N. 02c.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. MCGOWAN AND ARTHUR J. MQGOWAN, OF HURLEY, OKLAHOMA.

SHOESTRINGr-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Application filed April 6, 1910. Serial No. 553,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY B. MOGOWAN and ARTHUR J. McGowan, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Hurley, in the county of Cimarron andState of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShoestring-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements inclasps or fastening devices of that type which are designed particularlyfor use on shoes to engage with the ends of the shoestring to preventthe same from becoming accidentally loosened.

The object of the invention is a shoestring fastener which is quitesimple, durable and strong, which is reliable and efficient in use, andwhich admits of the shoestring being expeditiously applied thereto ordetached therefrom according as desired.

With these and other objects in view that will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructionsand arrangements of the parts that we shall hereinafter fully describeand then point out the novel features of in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference isto be had to the following description and accompanying draw ing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of theinvention to a shoe.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation showing the fastenerapplied to the shoe, the bow being removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the base plate and theparts integral therewith. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the slidedetached. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner ofattaching the fastener to the shoe.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the samereference characters.

The fastening device forming the subject matter of our inventionconsists essentially of an elongated base plate 1 that is formed ofsuitable sheet metal and is preferably slightly curved in the directionof its length so as to be of concavo-convex formation. A spring tongue 2is integral with the base spaced apart from the adjacent end wall of theopening 3.

A slide 6 extends transversely across the convex or outer face of thebase plate and has its end portions returned about the side edges of thebase plate, as indicated at 7, to connect the slide thereto. The sideedges of the base plate are substantially parallel whereby to permit theslide to move longitudinally of the base plate. The intermediate portionof the slide extends across the spring tongue and is preferably raised,as indicated at 8, and is formed with an aperture 9 into which the hump4c is adapted to snap, to hold the slide against longitudinal movement.

The opposite end portions of the base plate are formed with longitudinalslots 10 which terminate short of the central opening 3. These slotspreferably open outwardly through the end edges of the base plate andprovide bifurcations 11 at the ends of the base plate. The bifurcationsat one end of the base plate, in the present instance the end adjacentto the free end of the spring tongue, have spring attaching hooks 12struck longitudinally therefrom. The last mentioned bifurcations arealso formed at their outer side edges with stop shoulders 18 whichprevent the slide from slipping off suchend of the base plate.

In practice, one of our improved fasteners is applied to each shoe andis placed across the usual slit at the front of the upper with thebifurcations 11 at its opposite ends overlapping the respectivereinforcing strips 14 and 14 at the sides of the slit. The reinforcingstrips are provided with eyelets 15 or the like through which theshoestring 16 is laced. The slots 10 are arranged to extend over theuppermost eyelets 15 so as to cause the bifurcated ends of the base toembrace the same.

The base plate is attached to the reinforcing strip 14: by means of thespring hooks 12, this being the sole means of attaching the fastener tothe shoe.

Before applying the ends of the shoestring to the fastener the slide ismoved longitudinally toward the stop shoulders 13 and beyond the freeend of the spring tongue. The ends of the shoestring are then passedfrom the uppermost eyelets 15, through the slots 10 and behind the baseplate and are drawn outwardly through the opening 3 between the freeextremity of the tongue and the slide 6. The outwardly projectingextremities of the shoe strings lie against the outer face of the springtongue and extend toward and beyond the fixed end thereof. The slide isthen moved to operative position over the hump f so as to positivelyclamp the ends of the shoestrings therebetween, the hump snapping intothe aperture 9 to hold the slide against accidental displacement fromsuch operative position. The ends of the shoestrings are thus firmlyfastened in place and are effectually prevented from working loose whilethe shoe is being worn. Attention is here directed to the fact that therecess 5 in the free eX- tremity of the tongue engages with the ends ofthe shoestring to keep the same in operative position and prevent themfrom slipping to either side of the tongue.

To release the ends of the shoestring it is merely necessary to move theslide toward the attached end of the base plate and beyond the freeextremity of the spring hook.

The fastening device is quite ornamental and adds considerably to theappearance of the shoe. It is contemplated to employ this device on lowshoes or the like in substitution for the buckles which have heretoforebeen employed. The ornamental value of the fastener may be considerablyenhanced by providing a bow of ribbon 17. This how may be attached tothe fastener in any desired manner and in the present instance is passedthrough the raised portion of the slide so as to be clamped between thesame and the hump at.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the slots 10 renderthe fastener susceptible of use in connection with shoes having hooks atthe top in lieu of the customary eyelets.

Having thus described the invent-ion, what is claimed as new is:

1. A shoe string fastener comprising a base plate adapted for attachmentto the upper end of a shoe and having openings at its ends for thereception of the shoe strings, the base plate being provided with acentral struck up tongue having an outstanding hump upon its end thusproviding a central opening in the base plate for the reception of theshoe strings, and a slidable casing mounted upon the base plate havingan opening therein for the reception of the hump and shoe strings.

2. In combination with a shoe having eyelets and shoe strings forattachment to the upper end of the shoe and having slots in its ends forthe reception of the eyelets of the shoe, the base plate also having acentral tongue pressed out from its central portion and provided with ahump and forming a central opening in the base plate, the shoe stringsof the shoe passing from the eyelets back through the slots and outthrough the central opening over the hump of the tongue, and a lockingmember slidable upon the base plate and having a recess for engagementwith the hump to bind the shoe strings in position and hold the lockingmember from displacement.

3. A. shoe string fastener including a base plate having bifurcated endsadapted to engage against the sides of the registering eyelets at thetop of a shoe and having tongues at one end for permanent engagementwith the shoe, an outwardly pressed tongue carried upon the centralportion of the base plate and having a hump for the reception of theshoe strings passing from the eyelets and a slidable casing arrangedupon the base plate for engagement over the hump to bind the shoestrings thereagainst.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY B. MCGOWAN. ARTHUR J. MGGOWAN.

Witnesses BEN GRAHAM, W. T. BARNES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

